Care of the Optics

Modern ZEISS binoculars and spotting scopes are extremely robust and protected reliably against dust and moisture. This makes them very easy to care for; in particular, this applies to the glass surfaces on the ZEISS Victory products with their hard, water and dirt-repellant LotuTec® coating. Nonetheless, several points should be observed to ensure the performance over many years and decades.

Fingerprints

Modern (clean!) microfiber cloths are the best tool for cleaning the optics. Usually, fingerprints, for example, can be removed by breathing on the lens elements and wiping them with a light, circular motion. It is not recommended to use dry paper cleaning cloths and a fine powder as offered in many optical cleaning sets.

Dust

Dust can be removed with a lens brush or bellows which can be found at any photo store. Before cleaning with a cloth, dust, grains of sand, and other hard particles must be removed carefully.

Water spray

Dried rain drops and primarily salt spray leave deposits and rings. They must be removed by moistening or (with watertight binoculars) with water before a cleaning cloth can be used.

Oily contaminants

Oil on the lens elements should be removed as quickly as possible. The lens elements should be cleaned carefully to the edge using an eyeglass cleanser or an optical cleaning cloth and perhaps a little alcohol.

Contamination

For normal dirt, watertight binoculars, or a spotting scope can be simply rinsed with lukewarm water.

Alcohol, acetone, cleansers

T* multi-coated lenses can be cleaned with pure alcohol. Acetone, random cleanser, or benzene is generally not recommended. They can corrode and damage various materials and coatings.

Mold

Watertight, dry nitrogen-filled devices are not subject to mold build-up – at least on the inside. Mold can grow on the exterior lens elements if the device is stored in a moist, warm and dark environment for longer periods. Mold spores are practically everywhere and fingerprints (i.e. grease stains) provide an ideal breeding ground. In such cases or in the tropics, where high humidity is the rule of thumb it is recommended to store the devices in an airy, bright location. If they are warmed by the sun, any moisture on the surface vaporizes; without moisture there is no mold buildup. Mold often marks its presence with a fine, branching structure on the surface of the lens elements. The problem is that metabolic byproducts damage the surface permanently so that a simple cleaning may remove the mold but not its traces.

Behavior in winter

Following a winter excursion in the snow, cold binoculars or a spotting scope are best stored in a dry, cool room. In a warm room they would fog (exterior) immediately.

Tips & Tricks

We use cookies on this site.
Cookies are small text files that are stored on your computer by websites. Cookies are widely used and help to optimize the pages that you view. By using this site, you agree to their use.
more